Hull City Manager Steve Bruce Says Fans Need To End Protest Over Name Change

EPL Hull City Manager Steve Bruce offered a "stirring defense" of Owner Assem Allam but "remains desperate for the unseemly row over the club's name to go away," according to the LONDON TIMES. The Egyptian businessman has hardly helped his cause with some unguarded public pronouncements, culminating with his suggestion that those who have taken to chanting "City 'Til We Die" could "die as soon as they want." Bruce "did his best to steer clear of the controversy" during the early part of the Premier League season but admitted after Sunday's 3-1 win over Liverpool that he "would seek talks with Allam to try and ease tensions." Bruce: "We can't let it be a distraction and to be fair I'm fed up talking about it already. I think that goes for most of us. The only thing I would say in defense of the chairman is some people don't realize he's pumped millions into a hospital here (in Hull) for cancer research. He's also paid £600,000 ($984,900) to buy a scanning machine for that hospital. He's only got best interests of the club at heart. I have to tell that to all the supporters" (LONDON TIMES, 12/3).